Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Home-cooked Meal

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Chapter 31

~Zara’s POV~

I clenched my teeth, refusing to let him get under my skin again. I was successful after the meeting, and I knew Marcus had gotten under Snow’s, prompting the visit.

"What do you want, Snow?"

His smirk grew as he stepped closer, his hands casually in his pockets. "Just making sure you’re doing your job. After all, we wouldn’t want things to get... out of hand, would we?"

I shot him a glare. "Don’t worry about me. I’m perfectly capable of handling things."

"Capable, huh? Like how you handled Marcus or the hotel scandal?" I frowned, and his eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned over my desk, his face now just inches from mine. His voice dropped to a husky tone. "Last time I checked, you were running out of my office like you’d seen a ghost."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to flinch under his intense gaze. "You wish," I muttered, lacking the strength I’d intended.

Snow chuckled softly, and his breath brushed against my skin. "Oh, Zara," his seductive voice sent shivers down my spine. "You’re far too easy to rile up."

I felt Astrid stirring again, feeding off the tension, but I pushed her back. I couldn’t let him see how much he affected me. Not now.

Before I could respond, Snow’s hand reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear gently, but there was something dangerous in his eyes.

"You’re mine, Zara. And I always win."

Without another word, he turned and left, leaving me breathless and trembling in my chair.

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~Zoe’s POV~

I stormed into Snow’s mansion, my heels clicking against the tiled floors. I was not going to let things spiral out of my control.

For years, I had been the one looking after Storm, the one taking care of him like a mother. All that time, I hoped Snow would see me for who I truly was—a woman worthy of being his partner.

But no, she had to come along, and suddenly everything had shifted.

I couldn’t let this continue. Storm still needed me, and if I could prove that Zara wasn’t fit to take care of him, Snow would have no choice but to reconsider.

I spotted a maid walking by and snapped my fingers to catch her attention. "Where’s Storm?" I demanded.

The maid flinched slightly before answering, "In the dining room, ma’am."

Without another word, I made my way there, my irritation already rising. As soon as I stepped into the room, I saw him sitting at the table, happily eating... noodles.

Noodles? Really?

"Storm, darling!" I greeted him with a forced smile as I placed a bag on the table. "What are you eating?" My nose wrinkled, pretending to be disgusted by the sight and smell.

Storm looked up from his bowl with a huge smile on his face. "Zara made it! It’s her special shrimp and mushroom noodles. It’s so good, Zoe!"

I barely hid my disdain. Zara’s noodles? How low had things gotten that he was eating something so simple?

"Oh, sweetie," I cooed, walking over to the table and glancing at the noodles like they were poison. "That... doesn’t look very healthy for you."

Storm’s smile faltered and I knew I had struck the right nerve. "It’s delicious!" he protested, but I could tell he was second-guessing it now.

I sighed dramatically and waved my hand toward the maid. "Please, clear this up. Storm needs something proper to eat."

The maid hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "But ma’am, he—"

"Now," I ordered sharply, cutting her off. I wondered why he requested Zara to cook for him. Or did she force it on him?

Regardless of the situation, remedying it was easy.

Garbage!

"I’ve brought him something much better." I pulled out the food flasks from my bag and started setting them on the table.

I opened the first container, revealing perfectly roasted chicken breast with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

The second container had a fragrant bowl of quinoa salad with pomegranate seeds and feta cheese.

And the last one? A decadent slice of chocolate cake topped with fresh berries.

"There you go, sweetheart," I said, smiling sweetly at Storm. "Something that will help you grow big and strong."

Storm looked conflicted, glancing between the noodles and the fancy spread I had laid out. "But... I liked Zara’s noodles," he mumbled, still holding onto the chopsticks.

Just then, the sound of footsteps made me turn around, and my stomach sank when I saw her standing at the entrance of the dining room with her arms crossed and a raised brow.

"Interesting timing, Zoe," she said smoothly. "I didn’t know you’d be joining us for dinner."

Zara’s eyes flickered with annoyance. "Zoe, I’m sure you mean well," she said, her tone sharpening, "but Storm doesn’t need to be force-fed what you think is best for him."

Zara’s lips curled into a smirk. "Maybe not," she admitted, "but it’s enough to make sure you don’t call the shots anymore."